Culture in the house

The fourth stage adaptation of the once popular TV show “Khun Phra Chuay” was back at the 600-seat Aksra Theatre in the King Power Complex last weekend with plenty of exciting cultural shows and impressive musical performances, though these were on a lesser scale than in previous years.

While still playing to a packed house, a few members of the audience did find this year’s version of the now-defunct culture-oriented small screen show less exciting and impressive than the second edition staged in August 2010 on the theme “Golden Land”. 

After skipping 2011 due to the massive flooding, last October’s effort was titled “Three Seasons” and retained much of its grandeur. This year’s “Ruam Phandin” (“Uniting the Land”) highlighted the fact that Thailand is made up of different culturally unique regions and people of various ethnic descent.

The three-hour-long concert, which was performed five times over the weekend, featured a range of songs including Hak Sao Khon Kaen” (“Loving Khon Kaen Women”), “Pak Tai Ban Rao” (“The South is Our Home”), and “Ban Bon Doi” (“Home on the Mountain”). The cultural shows, some of them including gymnastics and acrobatic dance, were performed by I Siam and Thai Gym, winning teams from the popular TV show “Thailand’s Got Talent”.

An orchestra made up of some 30 musicians provided the backing with Thai and Chinese traditional instruments the sor (fiddle) and guzheng played in perfect harmony on “Lod Lai Mangkorn” (“Traces of the Dragon”), a song about Thais of Chinese descent.

A highlight of the show was a performance by 27 children who sang Prapas Chonsaranon’s new composition “Wan Prung Nee” (“Tomorrow”), which calls for an end to social division and a better future for the generation to come.

Seven young singers took the stage for the final part of the show and performed “Samakkhi Chumnum” (“Unity”) to the melody of Auld Lang Syne. 

The LED screen in the background showed His Majesty the King warning that disunity could lead to the country’s collapse.

Pirapat “Bee” Thenwong also gave an impressive performance of “It Kon Nueng” (“A Brick”), a song that compares every member of Thai society to a brick and stresses that when millions of the brick get together, they form a strong building.

Veteran singer Settha Sirachaya, vocalist from the legendary Impossibles, sang a few songs during the concert, including “Chao Phraya” and “Oh Rak” (“Oh Love”).

Attractive and colourful graphics projected on to the large LED screen on stage supported the performances and there was plenty of laughter too, both at the comedy show performed by Na Yong, Na Nong and Na Puang, and jokes from emcees Theng Terdtoeng and Phan Plutaek, professional comedians who work with concert organiser Workpoint Entertainment.

The orchestra also joined a brief comedy show in the latter half of the concert and during the 15-minute intermission turned the auditorium into the world’s largest karaoke parlour as audience members were encouraged to sing a song together.